Ain'tcha Gonna Learn?
by Ami L. Mendal
Summary: Then again, all that touchy-feely stuff is what got me here in the first place. After Logan finally – finally – saw me as Marie the adult, instead of Rogue ‘the kid’, things changed, and they changed for the better. -ROGAN-
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first X-Men fanfic, so give me a break.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men, Marvel, or any of the characters associated with them. Especially not Logan. And if I did, I wouldn't let him out and play. _Mine mine mine._

-.-

I sat on the edge of my bed, waiting three-to-five minutes. I let my mind wander to the events that had made me who I was. It had been three years since the good ol' Dr. Grey died. Two years since I graduated from Mutant High. Then I remembered, graduation day should have been a happy occasion.

I should have been paying attention to our Valedictorian, my ex-boyfriend, Bobby Drake. Instead, my gaze fell to the three tombstones marking a tragic end.

Logan came to the graduation, but he was late. I wasn't surprised. Should I have been? I don't think so. When it came to Logan, I allowed myself to be optimistic, but always a realist. Just because I know he is going to come and go, doesn't mean I can't hope he'll stay.

Afterall, I was much more of an adult after that, not to mention an _available _one. I am not the lost little hitchiker he found in his trailer. I've moved past from being the confused mutant who couldn't control her powers. I am now Marie D'Acanto, without the curse of poison skin, and with the gift of touch. I can wipe a tear from a friend's cheek. I can brush bangs from a loved one's eyes. I can tangle arms with a girlfriend when we go shopping at the mall. I can do _anything_. And I love it.

Then again, all that touchy-feely stuff is what got me here in the first place. After Logan finally – _finally – _saw me as Marie the adult, instead of Rogue 'the kid', things changed, and they changed for the better. It took some time but I got him. Okay okay, when I say I got him, it really means he has agreed to a few stuff here and there but he 'ain't promisin' to stick around 24/7'. And you know what? That's good enough for me.

And only the Lord knows where he was that fateful day, as I sat on my bed and watched the clock. I could hear his voice in my head, laughing and grunting in his wild-yet-tame attitude he always had with me.

He'd joke with me, walk with me, even make love with me, but not always stick around with me. I understood that. It's hard to stay in one place when you know your past is out there, somewhere, waiting to be found.

He always told me when he was leaving, and always came back when he said he would. I was grateful for that. Hell, I was grateful for _everything_ he gave me. He probably could take a dump in a ziploc bag, and hand it to me before he left and I would still thank him. Of course, he would never do that, and I thank the Heavens for it, but I'd appreciate the sentiment all the same.

I glanced at my watch. It had been well over the three-to-five minute mark, but I wasn't ready yet. I couldn't check yet, and I wouldn't let myself try. I closed my eyes instead, allowing the memory of him wash over me.

His hands, rough to the eye yet soft to the touch. That's what healing powers can do for a man. Or maybe I should say for a mutant. His muscles, powerful and manly, strong with a hint of care… but those weren't even my favorite part. I loved his eyes. I was always told eyes were the window to someone's soul, and I didn't believe it until I saw Logan's.

They had pain, confusion, but they held hope. There are so many emotions swirling in his brown orbs, it's hard to catch any of them at once, yet I manage to see a few, and I love them.

I sigh through my nose, standing from my soft mattress and take the few steps to the bathroom. I glance at the sink, wanting to pass more time, and wash my hands. I take awhile, starting slow and meticulous. Before long, though, I get anxious and quickly rinse and dry them. I lean to the basin of the toilet and pick it up.

Two pink lines. It's positive.

For a fleeting moment, I'm happy. Then my emotions take a roller coaster ride and I have to run. I grab my wallet off the desk and I'm out the door before anyone can spare me the questions.

I wonder how bad running is for the baby I am now carrying. Logan's baby. And the tears come.

-.-

So there it is, Chapter One! Please let me know what you think of it by **reviewing**! (This also looked much longer when I typed it up on Microsoft Word. :( Well you'll have to forgive me for that. Please?)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Wow! What an amazing response for the first chapter! I really hope to see you guys again for this one. :) P.S. Just wanted to clear up one tiny thing. Rogue is not running _to _Logan. She's running _from_ him. Okay thanks, keep reading.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned the X-men. Ohhh that'd be _hawt_. (A.K.A. Don't sue, 'cuz it ain't mine.)

-.-

I don't know exactly why I left. Just imagining Logan's sweaty body beneath me, or his face when Storm tells him to put out his cigar, made me nervous. I was positive, certain to the core of my very being, that he would be pissed beyond repair.

His rough growling rang in my head, "Marie… how could this have happened? I thought we were being careful. What did you do?"

I closed my eyes tightly, shaking my head at an attempt to erase the thought. As much as I knew it was true, I didn't want to think about it. I _couldn't_. I had to think about myself now, and the tiny life I had growing inside of me.

I turned my car onto the highway, accelerating to merge into traffic. For a fleeting moment, I debated keeping the baby or aborting it. I had always been anti-abortion, yet pro-choice. After all, a woman should always have the right to do whatever she wants with her body. Then again, how could someone kill an innocent life?

How could _I_?

I wasn't sure where I was going, but the Wolverine in my head screamed _drive drive drive._ I wondered if that's what he heard whenever something bad or unexpected happened. Was this the kind of primal instinct he dealt with on a day-to-day basis?

I switched lanes without my blinker. Dangerous, I know, but it didn't feel like me driving. It felt like Logan.

'I need to be fast, to get as far away as possible.' he'd say. I nodded in agreement to his choice of words.

I glanced at the gas gauge of my two-year-old Toyota RAV4. Three-quarters of a tank could take me about four hundred miles. Deciding that wasn't enough, I planned to make a stop when it was blinking on _E._

-.-

As scheduled, I refueled my car, purchased a few things to snack on and was back on the road by noon. I was thankful to leave before most of the students were even awake yet, but realized I would have to find a cover story. In the back of my mind, I knew at least a _few _of the students, and maybe a teacher or two, would be worried I was gone.

I picked up my cell phone and called Jubilee. She answered on the last ring with a cheerful, "Hello?"

"Hey Jubes, it's Rogue. I have a few family matters to take care of, so I'll be gone for the weekend and probably a few days into the week. Can you let the other teachers know?" I lied. I had to lie. If I didn't, who knows how she might have reacted?

"Oh sure. I noticed you weren't wandering the halls today, but figured you just went into town or something. But yeah, have a safe trip. Call if you need anything." She offered. Even without seeing her face, I knew she was smiling.

Deep in my heart, I felt guilty for hiding the truth from her. She was my closest friend at Xavier's, if you didn't include Logan, and lying to her felt like a knife in our friendship.

I muttered my thanks and hung up the phone. I sat in silence for hours, just concentrating on the road and imagining what this baby would be like. I envisioned Logan, stretched across the couch in the rec room, watching telelvision and drinking a beer. I came to a conclusion. I had to get my mind off of this baby, and off Logan.

I settled for the radio. Switching the knobs back and forth, I could only find commercials or talk shows. I wanted _music._ I wanted to think about someone else's problems, not about my own. I needed the free-fall emotion behind the melody, and the I-don't-give-a-shit feeling of the lyrics.

Desperate, I set my cruise-control and rummaged for a pack of CD's. The only one that wasn't scratched to all hell was "Rogue's Remix – Love, Bobby". I threw it to the back of the car with anger, hearing it bounce off the backseat and landing behind the passenger's.

I tapped the brakes at the sight of a road sign. _Lodging this exit_. A smirk stretched across my face and I decided to take a rest for the night. I had, after all, been on the road all day and exhausted myself with the day's events.

-.-

_It was warm and breezy, billowing the bottom of my sundress and casting my hair into my face. I felt a pair of eyes watching me, and as I turned to find them, I found Logan._

_He stood at full height, reaching a full head taller than me and smoking his favorite brand of cigars. The sun was behind him, casting a silhouette of his body and giving his body an aura-like glow. I smiled at him, taking in his appearance as if to memorize that exact moment._

"_What are you wearing?" he huffed, raising his eyebrows in interest and releasing the cigar smoke from his mouth._

_I blushed with a smile, "Like it?" I did a twirl for him, and his only reply was a chesty growl. My smile grew and I stood on my toes to kiss him._

_Instead of complying with my wishes, Logan placed his cigar back into his mouth and took a drag._

"_Not here, darlin'. You know the rules," he said, giving a slight wink before heading into the school._

_I smirked and scurried up behind him. "Last one there has to be on top," I drawled seductively before sprinting to his room._

My eyes bolted open at the dream my subconscious filtered. I was suddenly freezing in the motel room and, with only the duvet to cover me, felt the urge to check out immediately.

Glancing at the clock, it read 3:56 AM in shocking-red digits. I sighed through my nose, and assumed it was the only amount of sleep I could spare before heading back on the road.

-.-

A/N: Well that's chapter two. Next chapter, guess who shows up at Mutant High? Thaaaat's right, baby. The sexy "Professor Logan" himself! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and will be anticipating the next one :)

-Ami Landon Mendal


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Your reviews are truly amazing me. Thank you for the wonderful words and absolute interest in this story, As promised, guess who makes their grand entrance? Hehehe.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own X-men! Yeah... uh, wish I did but, ya know, cheap dream.

-.-

I had twenty miles until I reached Xavier's school. I considered hitting that little red button of boost, but had less than an eighth of a tank and didn't want to risk running out of gas between no-mans-land and Mutant High.

I heard an obnoxious beeping from my breast pocket and reached in. It was hard to hear over the exhaust of the late-Scooter's bike, but I managed to recognize the voice.

"Logan!" she called.

I grunted a, "Yeah" and struggled with the Comm. Device while driving a motorcycle.

"It's Storm. I just rang to let you know there will be a teacher's meeting tonight at seven-thirty. What's your E.T.A.?

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "'Bout fifteen minutes."

"Perfect. We'll see you then. Drive safe, Logan." She warned. I grumbled an incoherent response before returning the electronic to my shirt pocket.

I decided to enjoy the last of the open road, before returning to a familiar civilization that would make me feel claustrophobic.

I slowed the bike down to a steady 60 miles per hour. The wind calmed my nerves of seeing old faces again - okay, maybe just a certain one. My mind flashed to the last time I saw her and I allowed the memory overcome my senses.

_They lay naked, huddled beneath the sheets of his four-poster bed. Her hair was fanned out against his pillow, and her eyes glowed with a well-placed lust. She smiled up at him and gave a hushed laugh. He smiled and kissed the top of her head._

_"I leave tomorrow" his husky voice mumbled. She sighed through her nose._

_"I know. But you'll be back. You always are," Marie smiled again. He silently nodded, wrapping his arms around her bare torso._

_"You gonna miss me?" he asked._

_"Nah" _

_They shared a lingering stare and she kissed his cheek. "So where ya' headed?" she asked innocently, tucking her chin down to listen to the steady beat of his heart._

_His broad shoulders shrugged, "Here and there, I 'spose. There's a guy up near the Rockies, says he has an abandoned house with some old stuff in it. Offered to let me look around. Stuff like that," he replied. Marie nodded against his bare chest, taking in the scent of his natural odor (pine needles and tobacco), all-the-while enjoying the warmth of his embrace._

_"How long you gonna be gone?" Marie asked. She bit her lip in anticipation of his response._

_His laughter came out as more of a grunt, and she leaned back to make eye contact again. "No longer than a month." he promised._

_A grin stretched across Marie's porcelain face. "Deal." she said, before drifting to sleep._

I smiled at the memory, and slowed as I turned into the gates of the school. I reached the garage, surprised to see Bobby Drake and Peter working on a car. I cut the engine of the bike and climbed off, already missing the open road.

"Hey Logan," Bobby called, without even removing his face from under the car. Peter nodded curtly at me, and I returned the gesture.

"I see you've been holding down the fort for me," I said, motioning towards the mass of kids on the basketball court, playing a rowdy game of hoops. Stupid game, if you ask me.

Peter grunted and Iceman laughed, "Yeah, well, I know your style and figured this was pretty close." I chuckled in response and headed inside. I was eager to find Marie, but quickly found Storm first and she dragged me to the teacher's conference.

-.-

I listened (okay, half-listened) to the three-hour-long speeches, then an excruciating Q&A gig before Storm finally let us go. Waste of time, really. I could have had a full session with Marie in that amount of time (including the humorous questioning she would give me afterwards about my trip). I shrugged off the lost time and set off into the hallways.

Realizing I hadn't eaten since I got on the highway, I stopped in the kitchen for a bite to eat, hopeful there was a cool beer in the fridge. I settled for a soda (dammit) and a quick-fix snack. Very few students were out-and-about the mansion this late. Curfew was eight-sharp for the little ones, and not much longer for the older kids.

I set out for Marie's room, hopeful she was still awake at this hour. Navigating hopelessly, I could only ever find it by the grandfather clock outside her door. As I reached to knock, the clock chimed eleven times, and even my heightened sense couldn't hear through her door over that damned thing. I sniffed the air, and found a hint of her perfume. Well, at least I knew she was safe.

I glared at the inanimate object and decided to surprise Marie tomorrow morning instead. Maybe I'd bring her breakfast in bed.

-.-

Morning didn't come fast enough, but I completely forgot about her meal 'til I got to her room. I knocked and entered, not bothering to wait for a response. Let's face it, I'm impatient and I missed her. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Her bed was empty, but her room looked much the same as it had when I left two and a half weeks ago. I grinned at the bulletin board of pictures that hung above her bed. Stepping towards it, I fingered a picture of her graduation night, during the after-party. She was smiling, her deep eyes squinted from her expression. She had linked her tiny arm with my hunk 'o muscles when Kitty snapped the picture. I was glad she took the shot at that exact moment.

I glanced at the other pictures before turning away from them. I'd come to see Marie, not just photographs of her. There was no sight of her, and my heightened sense didn't pick up any recent hints of her. Disappointed, I backed out and slammed the door behind me.

A small group of teenagers passed me, "Hey, any o' you seen Rogue?" I asked, all of them shaking their head. I recognized one as Kitty Pryde, that one girl who walks through walls.

"No, but I think Jubilee said something about talking to her... When did you get back?"

I waved her off with a grunt and quickly walked away. My stomach growled at me and I damned the creator of hunger. I scratched my chin and missed the familiar clank-clank of my dogtags against my broad chest. The kitchen wasn't too far from here, and the scent of blueberry flapjack (my stomach growled again) wafted through the air. Finally reaching the door, I hoped to see the slim, smiling figure of Marie.

I was disappointed again, but found Jubilee with a cup o' joe in hand, skimming through the comic-section of the newspaper.

"Where's Rogue?" I growled, grabbing a pancake from a stack on the counter and biting into it furiously.

Calmly, she sipped her coffee and looked up at me. "Meridian, Mississippi would be my first guess."

I swallowed, "You mean you don't know?" I said, cocking an eyebrow at the girl. She shrugged.

"She didn't really get specific, Logan. Just said she had some family stuff, and she'd be back in a few days." She put the mug to her lips again and took a swig. "Why?"

My body relaxed, but my mind was still reeling. I thought Marie would be here, and I'd have hoped she would be happy to see me. To find out she's back home, with the family that disowned her and her mutation... That really took me by surprise.

I stormed out, heading for the lower levels of the mansion and set up the Danger Room for _Expert Simulation Number 43089_, my favorite.

-.-

A/N: This chapter took a bit longer than expected, sorry. F F (dot) net wouldn't let me do much of anything for the last few days, and Logan was easy to write for the first half of this chapter, then he got difficult and pissy (we all know what I mean haha). Anywho, reviews are appreciated, and I have already starteed Chapter 4. No promises on when it will be posted. Life is getting a bit hectic.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know this chapter took FOREVER, but I am officially moved to California and have been working on this since I posted the last one. This chapter has a lot of information in it. It introduces a few new characters that will be vital to the story. Please read it carefully. If you have any questions, ask in your review or send me a message and I will be sure to clear things up (if, of course, it doesn't ruin the story lol). Also, it is kind of a boring chapter, but I am going to post the next chapter IN TWO WEEKS OR LESS. That's a promise. (Alecz, you need to kick my butt in gear so I keep this promise!) Rogue's POV unless otherwise stated.

-.-.-

I wasn't exactly sure what day it was until I decided to make my final stop. I didn't have a need to know the day of the week, but I counted backwards to figure it out. I drove all last night, slept in the car the night before that, stayed at a hotel for two nights, slept in the car again, and the first night was a hotel. So let's see... I originally left Mutant High Thursday morning and was gone - nearly a week! My head spun from the revelation.

I crossed into Florida about seven this morning, topping off my gas tank and filling my stomach with convienance store mini-cakes. It was now running on 2 o'clock, and I was ready to stretch my legs. Driving along the east coast, I marvelled at the sights.

The Atlantic Ocean smiled at me; white crests like shining teeth and sandy beaches that reached as far as I could see. I had never seen such a beautiful blue in my life. In fact, I had never seen the ocean before.

I decided right then-and-there that I would stay right here in - I think the sign said _Lake Worth? - _and raise this baby. It was no longer Logan's baby; I had decided that half-way through Virginia. This baby - boy or girl, human or mutant - was mine alone, and I would raise it as the strong, independent woman I was. I would raise it with tolerance, understanding and more love than I could currently comprehend.

As I parked my car and added change to the meter, I instinctively clutched my abdomen. I guessed I was only about ten or eleven weeks along and had yet to start showing, but the thought of a tiny bundle of joy growing inside of me always made me reach for my belly.

I slipped my shoes off and held them between my fingers. Walking slowly, I reached the wooden steps to the beach and relished in the feeling of the sand between my toes. It was more than I ever imagined; tiny crystals of the earth hugged my feet as I made my way towards the water. A group of girls, clad but for bikinis, lay to my right - soaking up the warm sun's rays. A family with three children enjoyed a picnic on an over-sized towel. Their giggles reached my ears and made me smile, but gave me a small pang of jealousy. I wanted that; I wanted that with Logan.

Cool water splashed against my shins, completely covering my feet with the rush of the wave. The unexpected sensation gave me a chill, and I shut my eyes. The sun beat down on me, heating my skin quicker than I realized. I needed sunblock if I was going to live in the Sunshine State.

I walked up the shoreline, hiding beneath a pier for only a moment before coming out the other side. A small building caught my eye and I prayed it had sunblock. Up the stairs, a shower and small faucet hung from a wooden pole and I washed the sand off my feet. Slipping my shoes back on, I walked into the first store I saw.

The window displays were beautiful; necklaces and rings, bracelets and earrings, all made from the beach's shells. I'd never thought about the idea before, but seeing the end result now I was fascinated.

A bell on the door rang when it opened, and it slowly shut behind me. "Jaz, can you get that?" shouted a woman I couldn't see.

"Give me a minu-ute!" another voice said from the back. I glanced around the store for only a few more seconds before the woman appeared. She had hair that flowed to her waist, a chocolate brown that matched her eyes perfectly. A warm smile graced her features and the stranger lit up. "Hi, I'm Jaz. What can I do for you today?"

My eyes grew when they caught the rest of the store. Gorgeous beaded jewelry hung from hooks on the walls, while the more delicate- and expensive-looking pieces sat in glass cases.

"These are really beautiful. Do you make this stuff?" I asked, my voice finally finding itself.

A small laugh escaped her throat, "Yes, we both do."

"We?" I repeated.

"Yes, my best friend and I. We own the store together." she explained. "She's in the back. Annabel say hi!" she shouted.

"Hi!" came the first voice.

"How long does it take to make them?" I asked. My fingers hovered over a glass case as I stared at the intricate detailing.

"Depends on what we find on the beach." Jaz said with a small shrug. "The nicer shells we find, the longer it takes. I think the longest I've ever spent on a piece was a week or so."

"That's amazing."

I couldn't help but wander around the small store. Somehow, looking at all these amazing items made me forget all about my impending problems with Logan. This town would make it easy to let him go, or at least I hoped.

A redhead exited the backroom of the store and placed a necklace into a case, locking it when she was done. "I'm Annabel," she said, extending her hand for me to shake. I complied, remembering only a short while ago I couldn't touch at all. This made me wonder if these women took their ability to touch people for granted, knowing I never would.

"I'm..." pausing, I wasn't sure what to say. Even at the school I still went by Rogue, but here... here I could be anybody. I decided on sticking to what was easy. "I'm Marie." everyone was smiling, and I finally felt like I was home.

"Where are you from, Marie? I love your accent." Jaz said.

"Mississippi." I said simply. "Is your name really Jaz?"

"It's short for Jazmin. And Annabel goes by Anna. We're just a store full of nicknames" she said with another small laugh.

I stopped for a moment, silently sniffing the air. A pungent scent of tomato sauce and cheese reached my nose and I instantly felt nauseous. My hands flew to my mouth and my voice went hoarse.

"Do you have a restroom?" Anna reached for my wrist, hurriedly rushing me through the backroom and into a small bathroom. I fell to my knees, expelling the contents of my stomach into the porcelain toilet.

The redhead waited outside the door for me, a wet rag in hand. I offered her a weak smile and wiped the clammy sweat from my face. I didn't understand why I felt sick. I haven't had morning sickness at all so far, and even if I started now, it's not morning. It's nearing three in the afternoon.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Jaz asked as Anna and I joined her in the front of the store. All color drained from my face. Did I have a sign on my forehead that said 'with-child'? Was it that easy to pick up on?

"Don't worry so much, Marie. Anna here couldn't stand the smell of chicken her entire second trimester. I threw up every day for my entire pregnancy anyway." The brunette added.

"You both have kids?" I asked, astonished. These women looked close to my age, and I felt almost relieved to know I wasn't alone.

"My daughter will be two in July," Anna said, "And Jaz's daughter just turned three last month." I gave a small nod of recognition before glancing at their left ring-fingers. They were both married; I was not. They had jobs and families; I had a growing belly, a car and a few hundred dollars in my account. I was overcome with worry and needed air.

"Excuse me" I said, exiting the store and taking a deep breath of the salty breeze. Leaning against the cement walll of the building, I closed my eyes and slowly slid down to the sidewalk. I heard the familiar bell ring and Jaz's worried expression came into view.

"Marie? Are you okay?"

I shook my head, tears brimming the edge of my lids and I fought to keep them in. The friendly brunette leaned down to my see me better.

"Maybe you want to talk to someone. You're not alone in this. Is that how you feel? Alone?"

I looked at her, making eye contact and this time, I nodded.

"I had Alaina when I was eighteen. I was in college, didn't have a job, and wasn't married. Anna had her daughter at nineteen. Sure, she was married, but got divorced only a year or so later. And that ring you see on her hand? That's a promise ring from her boyfriend. Not an engagement ring, not a wedding band... So don't worry so much, honey. Things will fall into place when they're ready to." Jaz stood up, reaching for the door handle back into the store.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, or with, let us know. And if you need a job, we could use the help." she added, another smile spread across her lips and she gave a sly wink.

I gave a small grin, and finally realized how I knew Lake Worth would be right for me, and this baby.


End file.
